Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Snap – Double snap
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-14
2001-03-13
Friedhofer, Michael (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Snap
Double snap
C200S00600C, C200S467000, C200S553000, C200S339000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06201201
ABSTRACT:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, there is provided an electrical switch for switching on and off an electrical appliance, which switch comprises a body, a fixed contact and a movable contact, an actuator supported by the body for pivotal movement to cause movement of the movable contact between a switched-on position and a switched-off position, and an internal spring acting upon the actuator, said spring extending generally in-line with the actuator and is in compression such that the actuator and spring are pivotable rapidly and simultaneously in opposite directions through an over-centre action about an unstable central position.
Preferably, the movable contact is normally in the switched-off position, and the actuator is pivotable in one direction to move the movable contact into the switched-on position and in the opposite direction to release the movable contact from the switched-on position.
Preferably, the actuator and spring are both elongate and flippable through said over-centre action.
In a preferred embodiment, the actuator has an external part for manual operation, an internal part in engagement with the spring and for causing movement of the movable contact, and an intermediate part about which the actuator is hinged to the body.
It is preferred that the intermediate part of the actuator is slidable to a limited extent in said opposite directions for bending the spring in order to facilitate pivoting of the actuator and spring through said over-centre action.
More preferably, the intermediate part of the actuator is in the form of a hinge pin, and the body has an internal recess slidably receiving the hinge pin.
It is preferred that the spring is in engagement with the internal part of the actuator by means of a coupler which is slidable to a limited extent in said opposite directions relative to the actuator part for stabilising the position of the actuator.
It is preferred that a spring is provided on the internal part of the actuator for acting upon the movable contact.
It is preferred that the body includes a pair of opposed parts for hitting by the internal part of the actuator pivoting in said opposite directions, thereby making a sound indicative of the movable contact reaching either the switched-on or switched-off position respectively.
More preferably, the internal part of the actuator incorporates a spring on one side for holding the movable contact in the switched-on position when said internal part is initially departing from one of said opposed parts until substantially the moment when the opposite side of said internal part hits the other of said opposed parts, whereby the sound so made is indicative of the movable contact reaching the switched-off position.
More preferably, the body is provided with a pair of power pins having internal ends providing the opposed parts respectively.
Further more preferably, the fixed contact is connected to one of the power pins and the movable contact is movable by the actuator to come into contact with the other power pin.
Further more preferably, the body includes a lamp socket for receiving a light bulb for lighting.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3165603 (1965-01-01), Sorenson
patent: 4136268 (1979-01-01), Rose
patent: 4894500 (1990-01-01), Yamazaki et al.
patent: 5836443 (1998-11-01), Gernhardt et al.
patent: 1-272014 (1989-10-01), None
patent: 8-249983 (1996-09-01), None
patent: 8-315682 (1996-11-01), None
patent: 9-73841 (1997-03-01), None
Friedhofer Michael
Leydig Voit & Mayer Ltd
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